Ring-forming machine.



E. TRUMAN. RING FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1912.

1,071,370. Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

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E. TRUMAN.

RING FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1912.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

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B. TRUMAN.

RING FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1912.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST TRUMAN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 'IO BATES VALVE BAG COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

RING-FORMING- MAOHIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST TRUMAN, a citizen of the United States, residin at T0- ledo, in the county of Lucas and tate of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ring-Forming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for forming and electrically welding wire rings.

It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure l is a plan view of the machine with parts broken away; Fig. 2,, a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on the line H of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section on the line 55 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a View of the wire with the ring portion of it and Fig. 8 is a view of the complete ring.

Like parts are indicated by the same letters in all the figures.

A is a base from which rise suitable standards such as B, B to support or furnish bearings for the several parts.

The driving mcchanism.C is a pulley on the shaft C which carries the beveled gear C engaging with the beveled gear C on the lower shaft C" above which is mounted the shaft C carrying on one end the gear wheel C which meshes with the pinion C on the shaft G On the shafts C and O are intermeshing pinions C and 0 By this driving mechanism and connecting parts all the apparatus is operated.

The ring f0rmer.D is a former disk on the shaft D upon the end of the shaft C D is a movable former disk on the insulation sleeve D which is mounted on the shaft D which is reduced at D to enter the pocket D in the end of the shaft D The two disks are beveled as indicated at D so as to form the groove D between them and about their continuous surfaces. The disk D is cut away at D, the disk D at D to give room for the electrode D which is secured to the disk D and projects into the opening D in the disk D, so as to bridge their contiguous surfaces. At one point on the two disks their contiguous surfaces are cut away at just below the bottom of the forming groove to provide the clamping groove D to receive the wire. D is a collar mounted on the shaft D and D is a spiral spring about the shafts D* and D and bearing at one end against the collar D and at the other end against the upper part of the standard B, so that it tends to force the disk D away from the disk D. D is a heavy spiral spring in the pocket D between the two shafts. It is normally engaged and should be heavy and strong. It releases the pressure in the event of any foreign matter being between the two disks when they are forced together, as hereinafter explained. The clamping of the two disks together when the wire is in the proper position, as indicated in Fig. 1, grips the end of the wire and the rotation of the disks carries the wire around and bends it into place in the groove between the two disks to form the ring.

The we're fee(Zer.-E E are segments mounted on the shafts C and C and secured thereto so as to rotate therewith. In front of them is the wire guide E through which the wire is forwardly forced by their rotation. E is such wire drawn from a reel or other supply and forced forward in the manner indicated until its end is in the clamping groove D just above the elect-rode D in the position indicated in Fig. 1.

The welding mccham'sm.lVhen the parts of the wire have been overlapped by the rotation of the ring forming disk, they will assume the posit-ion indicated in Fig. 7, though here the ring has already been severed from the wire. In this position the two lengths of wire are overlapped one above the other as shown in Fig. 8 upon the electrode D. This electrode is connected through the insulated disk D by means of the brush F with the terminal F of the conductor F F is the other conductor which leads to the terminal F* on the lever F which is pivotally mounted at F 6 on the standard F which is supported upon the base A but with an intervening insulation F The lever F has secured at its outer end the head F from which it is insulated by means of the inserted insulation F In this head is mounted a short imam shank F downwardly thrust by the spring F and carrying at its lower extremity the cam roller F adapted to engage the surface F which is extended away from the center of rotation so as to form the cam surface F on which the roller lies. The cam K is mounted on the shaft C At the other end on the lever F is the head F" which contains the electrode F By moving this leverthe two electrodes are brought into. close proximity with the overlapped parts between them, whereupon, if the current is applied, the process of electric welding is complete. To apply the current at such moments I provide the following mechanism: G and G are terminals with contiguous surfaces. G is mounted on the rod G which is normally retracted by the spiral spring G which rests at one end against the bearing G and at the other against the pin G on the rod C The rod C is supported in the bearing G and the bearing G and terminates at its outer end in the yoke G which carries the roller Gr in the path of the cam surface G on the cam ring G which is mounted on the shaft C5. The terminal G is mounted on the rod G slidably in the bearings G G It is limited in this advanced position by the collar Gr which engages the bearing G but is kept normally in this advanced position by the spiral spring G? which engages the pin Gr? on the rod G. G" is a conductor from the terminal G to the primary winding on the transformer G 3, and G is a conductor leading from the terminal G to the generator G 9 whence leads the conductor G to the other end of the primary winding on the converter.

The ring seoem'ng meohanism.lvlounted on one of the standards B is a plate J which is slotted at its outer edge to receive the wire guide E which is held in place by the set screw J Mounted at the other side of the plate J is a rod J 2 having at one extremity the knife edge J and at the other extremity the roller J 4 and intermediate the spiral spring J whereby therod is kept in its retracted position and the knife edge at one side of the path of the wire as indicated in Fig. 1. In the gear wheel C is an arc-shaped slot J 7 in which is slidably' mounted the cam block J 8 fixed in the ,de- The I path of this cam block is arranged so that I as it passes it will force outwardly the rod sired position by the set screw J".

J against the retracting spring J and cause the knife edge J to sever the ring from the wire,

The ring discharging mecm's.The tw'o ring forming disks must be separated so as to permit the formed and finished ring to;

drop from between. them. This is accomplished by the cam K whose surface is mutilated as indicated at K K is a roller in the end of the shaft D and in the path of the regular surface K of the cam K. As long as the roller 1 travels on the surface K the parts will be held in the position indicated in Fig. 2, but when, by the rotation of the cam K, the mutilated surface K is opposite the roller K the spiral spring D retracts the shaft D and by means of the pin K from the slot K whereby the shaft D is loosely linked to the shaft D the shaft D is carried back with the shaft D to separate the two disks.

It will be understood that many of the details and parts illustrated and described could be greatly altered and changed in structure, form, relation and proportion with reference one to another without departing from the spirit of my invention.

lVhile I have illustrated an operative structure, the drawings are to be taken sim ply as a diagrammatic illustration rather than as working drawings. Some of the supporting and connecting parts and portions of the frame and driving mechanism have not been very elaborately set forth, all such matters being easily within the knowledge of an ordinary mechanic. The order in which the several operations are performed might be to some extent varied if desired and the overlapping portions of the wire which forms the ring might be overlapped in the plane of the ring rather than laterally. I

The guard or finger H projecting upwardly from the base A and having its end very close to the groove D has for its function to hold and guide the wire in position, if need be, and to protect the spaces between the parts D D The use and operation of my invention are as follows: The wire is forcibly drawn forward to form the ring. It is not stamped or forced bodily into a forming cavity, but it is drawn or wound into a former. It is fed forward through the wire guide until it isclan'iped between the two ring forming disks in the clamping groove. The rotation of these disks draws the wire around in the groove overlapping its two parts in position between the two electrodes. The further operation of the parts then brings the two electrodes into close proximity with the overlapped wire sections between them without separating or disturbing the former disks, their motion of rotation having ceased for the time being. The further operation of the parts closes the circuit through the primary of the transformer and through the generator, whereupon the welding current is forced through the welding electrodes and the wires between them. A further motion opens the circuit through the primary conductors and lifts the upper electrode, or prior thereto, simultaneously therewith or immediately thereafter, the operation of the parts moves the ring severing knife forward to sever the ring from the wire. The further operation retracts the laterally movable disk, whereupon the ring falls from between the two disks. The further operation of the parts then forces the two forming disks together whereupon the wire is fed forward and the action proceeds as before to form the ring.

The several parts are adjusted and related in their operation and timed so as to carry on the several processes or steps of the process substantially in the manner indicated, although, of course, it will be obvious that the particular order of the several steps can be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I have shown my former as consisting of two disks which rotate together but are movable with reference to each other and I have shown my ring forming groove as in the surface and thus the preferred form, but the ring forming groove is below the periphery of the disk and might be entirely inclosed when the disks are brought together for the wire is drawn into the groove, so to speak, this being the result of the rotation of the former when the end of the wire is held fast therein. Moreover, such inclosed groove or annular hole, as well as such surface groove, could be dispensed with, the wire being wound upon the plane surface of the former, serving as a kind of mandrel.

I claim:

1. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former having a surface ring forming groove into which the wire is wound until its two parts overlap, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

2. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former consisting of two former disks having a surface ring forming groove into which the wire is wound until its two parts overlap, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

3. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former having a ring forming groove into which the wire is wound until its two parts overlap and a wire clamping groove whereby the wire is held in the former, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

4. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former having a surface ring forming groove, means for rotating the former until the wire is wound into the groove and its two parts overlap, means for securing the overlapped part-s together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

5. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former comprising two ring forming disks with a ring forming groove between them, clamping means to secure the wire in the former, means for rotating the former to form the ring within the groove until its two parts overlap, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

6. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former consisting of two revolving movable disks with a ring forming groove between them, means for clamping the end of the wire, means for rotating the former until the wire is drawn into the groove of the ring former, means for securing the parts together to form the ring, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

7. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former having a ring forming groove into which the wire is to be wound, means for attaching the end of the wire to the former, means for rotating the former to draw the wire into the ring forming groove, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

8. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former consisting of two disks having a ring forming groove into which the wire is to be wound, means for attaching the end of the wire to the former, means for rotating the former to draw the wire into the ring forming groove, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished 'ring from the former.

9. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former consisting of two disks having a ring forming groove between them into which the wire is to be wound, a groove whereby the end of the wire is clamped between the two disks of the former, means for rotating the former to draw the wire into the ring forming groove, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

10. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former consisting of two former disks having a surface ring forming groove into which the wire is wound until its two parts overlap, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire, and means for separating the two disks so that the finished ring may fall from between the same.

11. In a ring forming machine the com bination of a wire feeder with a former comprising two ring forming disks with a ring forming groove between them, means for rotating the former to form the ring within the groove until its two parts overlap, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire, and means for separating the two disks so that the finished ring may fall from between the same.

12. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a. former consist-ing of two revolving movable disks with a ring forming groove between them, means for clamping the end of the wire, means for rotating the former until the wire is drawn into the groove of the ring former, means for securing the parts together to form the ring, means for severing the finished ring from the wire, and means for separating the two disks so that the finished ring may fall from between the same.

13. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former consisting of two disks having a ring forming groove into which the wire is to be wound, means for attaching the end of the wire to the former, means for rotating the former to draw the wire into the ring forming groove, means for severing the finished ring from the wire, and means for separating the two disks so that the finished ring may fall from between the same.

14. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former consisting of two disks having a ring forming groove between them into which the wire is to be Wound, a groove whereby the end of the wire is clamped between the two disks of the former, means for rotating the former to draw the wire into the ring forming groove, means for severing the finished ring from the wire, and means for separating the two disks so that the finished ring may fall from between the same.

15. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder adapted to feed the wire forward from a supply source with a former consisting of two disks having a ring forming groove between them, means for rotating them together and for clamping the end of the wire between them so as to draw the wire into the groove to form the ring, means for electrically welding the wire parts together to form the ring, means for severing the ring from the wire and means for separating the disks to permit the discharge of the finished rin 16. In a ring forming machine the combination of atwire feeder with a former having a ring forming surface upon which the wire is wound until its two parts overlap, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire, means operative after the overlapped'parts have been secured together for actuating the severing means and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

' 17. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former consisting of two former disks having a ring forming surface upon which the wire is wound until its two parts overlap, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

18. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former hav ing a ring forming surface upon which the wire is wound until its two parts overlap and a wire clamping groove whereby the wire is held in the former, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

19. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former having a ring forming surface upon it, means for rotating the former until the wire is wound upon the former and its two parts overlap, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

20. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a former having a ring forming part about which the wire is wound until its two parts overlap, means for securing the overlapped parts together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

21. In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a two-part former, means for winding the wire about said former, means for securing the over lapped parts of the wire together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire and means for discharging the finished ring from the former.

In a ring forming machine the combination of a wire feeder with a two-part former, means for winding the wire about said former, means for securing the overlapped parts of the wire together, means for severing the finished ring from the wire, and means for separating the two parts of the former along a cleavage plane coinciding with the plane of the ring.

23. In a ring forming machine, means for feeding the Wire forwardly, a Wire forming device and means for Winding the Wire about the forming device, until the wire is overlapped on the forming device, means for fastening together the overlapped portions of the Wire and means operative subsequent to the fastening together means, for cutting off the formed and fastened ring from the Wire and means for subsequently disengagl0 ing the finished ring from the former.

Signed at Toledo, Ohio, U. S. A., this 25th day of June, 1912.

ERNEST TRUMAN.

\Vitnesses R. M. BATES, L. l). R. POMEROY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

